ROCHESTER, NY - The Utica University softball team fell to St. John Fisher 2-1 and 5-1 on Saturday afternoon to complete its regular season.
 
Game 1: St. John Fisher 2, Utica 1
Emily Joss (South Glens Falls, NY/South Glens Falls) led Utica at the dish, going 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored. Frankie Luster (Granada Hills, CA/Granada Hills Charter), Jennifer Rodriguez (Sylmar, CA/John F. Kennedy), Lauren Paul (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland), Rachel Little (Burbank, CA/John Burroughs) and Erica Sanford (Boonville, NY/Adirondack) all had one hit. 
 
Jordyn Conte (Newport, NY/West Canada Valley High School) tossed a gem over 6.1 innings as the graduate student held Fisher scoreless with five hits and two walks allowed to go with two strikeouts. Maggie Habernig (Kingston, NY/Kingston) was credited with the loss after giving up two runs on no hits and three walks. 
 
It was a quiet start to game two with both offenses being held at bay, yet opportunities did arise. Emily Joss (South Glens Falls, NY/South Glens Falls) singled to begin the game and Zulager also singled to give the team runners on the corners with just one out. Yet a double play ended the Pioneers scoring chances in the 1st inning. 
 
Alyssa Barbato (Rhinebeck, NY/Rhinebeck) walked to begin the 3rd and later stole second to get into scoring position. Joss smoked a single to second base to plate Barbato and give Utica an early 1-0 lead. Fisher threatened in the bottom of the inning with back-to-back hits to begin the frame however, Conte retired three of the next four to escape the jam. 
 
Both teams went down in order in the 4th inning before both stranding runners at third base in the 5th to bring the game to the top of the 6th with Utica up 1-0. 
 
It wouldn't be until the bottom of the 7th until one of the sides were able to produce runs. Down to their final out with the bases loaded, Fisher's Mari Spitz connected for the walk-off, two-RBI single to right field to fend off the Pioneers. 
 
Game 2: St. John Fisher 5, Utica 1
Emily Joss (South Glens Falls, NY/South Glens Falls) accounted for three of Utica's six hits in the second game with the other three coming from Maddie Zulager (Moorpark, CA/Moorpark), Brooke Beleza (Amherstview, Ontario/Jefferson Community College) and Rachel Little (Burbank, CA/John Burroughs). 
 
In the circle, Kylie Murray (Eastchester, NY/Eastchester) picked up the loss after going five innings allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits and four walks. She also struck out three. 
 
Much like in the first game, the Pioneers found the board first in what was a quiet first two innings. With one out and Alyssa Barbato (Rhinebeck, NY/Rhinebeck) on second base after a steal, Joss singled to second base which brought in Barbato for the 1-0 lead. 
 
However, the Cardinals blanked the Pioneers at the plate from that point forward while picking up its offense throughout the remainder of the game. 
 
Fisher scored three runs immediately in the bottom of the 3rd to take a 3-1. Both teams were silenced in the 4th before the Cardinals tacked on one more in the bottom of the 5th and 6th innings to enter the 7th ahead 5-1. 
 
Looking to spark a comeback, Little and Beleza led off the top of the 7th with singles. However, the pair were left stranded as the next three batters went down in order to close out game two. 
 
Utica (20-13, 8-6 Empire 8 Empire 8) will be the three-seed in the upcoming Empire 8 Conference Tournament and travel to Rochester, NY to battle with two-seed Alfred University in the opening round on Thursday, May 9 with the time to be determined.